New Zealand permanent residency application
Migration Program Details & Application
Program Overview
Project Description
Distinguishing between core concepts (this is the easiest part to get confused about):
Applying for New Zealand permanent residency typically involves two steps, resulting in different "status":
1. Resident Visa (RV): This is the first step. Once obtained, you can live and work in New Zealand, and enjoy free healthcare and primary and secondary education. However, it has travel restrictions—the visa will specify the "travel conditions validity period" (usually 2 years), during which you can freely enter and exit New Zealand; but if you leave New Zealand after the expiry date, the RV will become invalid, and you will need to reapply for re-entry.
2. Permanent Resident Visa (PRV): This is what people commonly refer to as "New Zealand permanent residency," also known as a permanent return visa. The prerequisite for application is holding an RV for at least two years and meeting residency requirements. Once you obtain a PRV, there are no residency restrictions; you can enter and exit New Zealand indefinitely, and your status is permanently valid.
Project categories: These mainly include skilled migration, family reunification, and investment migration. For most applicants, the most crucial category is skilled migration.
• 6-point skilled migration: The current main pathway. Applicants only need to choose one of the three categories, "education points", "income points" and "professional registration points", plus their New Zealand work experience, to accumulate 6 points.
• Green List: A fast track for approximately 174 occupations to apply for a resident visa (T1) directly without having to work first.
• New policy in August 2026: The "Skilled Work Experience Pathway" and the "Technician/Skilled Worker Pathway" will be launched soon, with greater emphasis on practical work experience.
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Distinguishing between core concepts (this is the easiest part to get confused about):
Applying for New Zealand permanent residency typically involves two steps, resulting in different "status":
1. Resident Visa (RV): This is the first step. Once obtained, you can live and work in New Zealand, and enjoy free healthcare and primary and secondary education. However, it has travel restrictions—the visa will specify the "travel conditions validity period" (usually 2 years), during which you can freely enter and exit New Zealand; but if you leave New Zealand after the expiry date, the RV will become invalid, and you will need to reapply for re-entry.
2. Permanent Resident Visa (PRV): This is what people commonly refer to as "New Zealand permanent residency," also known as a permanent return visa. The prerequisite for application is holding an RV for at least two years and meeting residency requirements. Once you obtain a PRV, there are no residency restrictions; you can enter and exit New Zealand indefinitely, and your status is permanently valid.
Project categories: These mainly include skilled migration, family reunification, and investment migration. For most applicants, the most crucial category is skilled migration.
• 6-point skilled migration: The current main pathway. Applicants only need to choose one of the three categories, "education points", "income points" and "professional registration points", plus their New Zealand work experience, to accumulate 6 points.
• Green List: A fast track for approximately 174 occupations to apply for a resident visa (T1) directly without having to work first.
• New policy in August 2026: The "Skilled Work Experience Pathway" and the "Technician/Skilled Worker Pathway" will be launched soon, with greater emphasis on practical work experience.
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Eligibility & Requirements
Application requirements
Take the most common 6-point skilled migration system as an example:
Core requirements of dimensions
Applicants must be 55 years of age or younger (at the time of application).
Language requirement: IELTS overall score of 6.5 or equivalent (e.g., PTE, with some exemptions).
Health and character are assessed through a medical examination, and a certificate of no criminal record is required.
The job must be offered a full-time position by a New Zealand accredited employer or you must be currently employed there.
Salary and working hours must be at least the New Zealand median wage (adjusted from March 2026), with a minimum of 30 hours per week.
“How to accumulate 6 points? (Choose one of three factors + years of local work experience)
Option score + Total score for working hours in New Zealand
PhD degree: 6 points; no work experience required (0 points) 6 points ✅
Master's degree (4 points), 1 year of work experience (2 points), 6 points ✅
Bachelor's degree (3 points), 3 years of work experience (3 points) 6 points ✅
Salary 1.5 times median (6 points) No need to work (6 points) ✅
Salary equal to 1 times the median (average) 0 points requires 6 years of work experience (6 points) 6 points ✅
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Take the most common 6-point skilled migration system as an example:
Core requirements of dimensions
Applicants must be 55 years of age or younger (at the time of application).
Language requirement: IELTS overall score of 6.5 or equivalent (e.g., PTE, with some exemptions).
Health and character are assessed through a medical examination, and a certificate of no criminal record is required.
The job must be offered a full-time position by a New Zealand accredited employer or you must be currently employed there.
Salary and working hours must be at least the New Zealand median wage (adjusted from March 2026), with a minimum of 30 hours per week.
“How to accumulate 6 points? (Choose one of three factors + years of local work experience)
Option score + Total score for working hours in New Zealand
PhD degree: 6 points; no work experience required (0 points) 6 points ✅
Master's degree (4 points), 1 year of work experience (2 points), 6 points ✅
Bachelor's degree (3 points), 3 years of work experience (3 points) 6 points ✅
Salary 1.5 times median (6 points) No need to work (6 points) ✅
Salary equal to 1 times the median (average) 0 points requires 6 years of work experience (6 points) 6 points ✅
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Application Process & Advice
suggestion
1. Prioritize occupations on the "Green List": If your major is architecture, IT, early childhood education, nursing, engineering, etc., it is recommended to first check if your occupation is on the Green List. Applications for these occupations are processed faster, and some do not even require prior New Zealand work experience.
2. Regarding "Study Abroad Immigration": This is suitable for applicants with limited budgets and younger ages. Choose a green list major (such as nursing or civil engineering) at a polytechnic (tuition is cheaper than university by 30%-40%), find a job after graduation, and then immigrate through the 6-point system or the green list pathway.
3. Prepare your English: An IELTS score of 6.5 is a minimum requirement (this may be waived for some countries). If your English proficiency is average, it is recommended to prepare in advance so that language difficulties do not delay your overall preparation time.
4. Pay attention to the new policy in August 2026: For applicants with rich work experience but low educational qualifications, the "Skilled Work Experience Pathway" (requiring 5 years of experience, including 2 years in New Zealand) will be a new opportunity.
5. The first application is for RV, and the PRV is after 2 years: Many people think that they can get permanent visa in one step, but in fact, they need to hold an RV and meet the residency requirement of 184 days per year for 2 years before they can apply for PRV.
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New Zealand Permanent Residency Application Process
Taking skilled migration as an example, it is divided into two main stages (first obtaining an RV, then converting to a PRV):
Phase 1: Apply for a Resident Visa (RV) and obtain your admission ticket
1. Self-assessment and preparation: Confirm that your age, education, work, and IELTS score meet the requirements and that you can achieve a score of 6.
2. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI): Submit online, free of charge. The system will score you based on your qualifications, and you will wait for an invitation.
3. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA): After your Expression of Interest (EOI) is selected, the immigration department will issue an invitation letter. You will need to submit a formal application within 4 months.
4. Submit the formal application: Submit all materials (passport, criminal record check, medical examination report, academic credentials, employment contract, etc.) and pay the visa fee (approximately NZD $4,000-$5,000).
5. Resident Visa (RV) Approval: After the review is approved, you will be granted an RV. At this point, you need to pay attention to the "Validity of Travel Conditions" on the visa (usually 2 years) - this is the starting point for transitioning to the second stage.
Phase Two: Converting to a Permanent Resident Visa (PRV) to Achieve "Permanent Return"“
• Application requirements: Hold an RV for at least 2 years and reside in New Zealand for more than 184 days each year during the 2 years of application.
• Application process: After meeting the required residency period, submit your PRV application online and pay the fees. Once approved, you will receive a permanent return visa with no further residency restrictions.
Estimated total time: From starting the study/job application process to obtaining the RV, it usually takes 1-2 years; converting the RV to PRV takes 2 years. Therefore, it generally takes 3-4 years or more to finally obtain a permanent resident visa.
If you can tell me your education, age, and occupation, I can help you determine whether the 6-point system or the green list is more suitable for you.
Consulting fee: $500
1. Prioritize occupations on the "Green List": If your major is architecture, IT, early childhood education, nursing, engineering, etc., it is recommended to first check if your occupation is on the Green List. Applications for these occupations are processed faster, and some do not even require prior New Zealand work experience.
2. Regarding "Study Abroad Immigration": This is suitable for applicants with limited budgets and younger ages. Choose a green list major (such as nursing or civil engineering) at a polytechnic (tuition is cheaper than university by 30%-40%), find a job after graduation, and then immigrate through the 6-point system or the green list pathway.
3. Prepare your English: An IELTS score of 6.5 is a minimum requirement (this may be waived for some countries). If your English proficiency is average, it is recommended to prepare in advance so that language difficulties do not delay your overall preparation time.
4. Pay attention to the new policy in August 2026: For applicants with rich work experience but low educational qualifications, the "Skilled Work Experience Pathway" (requiring 5 years of experience, including 2 years in New Zealand) will be a new opportunity.
5. The first application is for RV, and the PRV is after 2 years: Many people think that they can get permanent visa in one step, but in fact, they need to hold an RV and meet the residency requirement of 184 days per year for 2 years before they can apply for PRV.
---
New Zealand Permanent Residency Application Process
Taking skilled migration as an example, it is divided into two main stages (first obtaining an RV, then converting to a PRV):
Phase 1: Apply for a Resident Visa (RV) and obtain your admission ticket
1. Self-assessment and preparation: Confirm that your age, education, work, and IELTS score meet the requirements and that you can achieve a score of 6.
2. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI): Submit online, free of charge. The system will score you based on your qualifications, and you will wait for an invitation.
3. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA): After your Expression of Interest (EOI) is selected, the immigration department will issue an invitation letter. You will need to submit a formal application within 4 months.
4. Submit the formal application: Submit all materials (passport, criminal record check, medical examination report, academic credentials, employment contract, etc.) and pay the visa fee (approximately NZD $4,000-$5,000).
5. Resident Visa (RV) Approval: After the review is approved, you will be granted an RV. At this point, you need to pay attention to the "Validity of Travel Conditions" on the visa (usually 2 years) - this is the starting point for transitioning to the second stage.
Phase Two: Converting to a Permanent Resident Visa (PRV) to Achieve "Permanent Return"“
• Application requirements: Hold an RV for at least 2 years and reside in New Zealand for more than 184 days each year during the 2 years of application.
• Application process: After meeting the required residency period, submit your PRV application online and pay the fees. Once approved, you will receive a permanent return visa with no further residency restrictions.
Estimated total time: From starting the study/job application process to obtaining the RV, it usually takes 1-2 years; converting the RV to PRV takes 2 years. Therefore, it generally takes 3-4 years or more to finally obtain a permanent resident visa.
If you can tell me your education, age, and occupation, I can help you determine whether the 6-point system or the green list is more suitable for you.
Consulting fee: $500